"How was she?"
"Nice. Fun to be around," Lorna said, biting into her sandwich, "I think we'll get along well. We're into a lot of the same things."
"Well that's good," said Alex, "She might be your stepmother one day."
"Maybe," said Lorna, "But maybe we get along because she's twenty-three."
Alex raised his eyebrows. Since he'd gotten back Lorna had been telling him bits and pieces about the father she was recently reunited with. It was much better than thinking about the consequences he was going to have to face when his parents eventually came for Scott. That was probably why she was doing it. When he did think of it he hoped the Professor would break his moral code and just mess with their minds.
She talked about her father like he was a great guy; this newest piece of information made him wonder though.
"Your dad's girlfriend is twenty-three?" he asked, pushing his empty plate away, "That makes her only six years older than you."
"I know. I'm not sure how I feel about that," said Lorna, taking another bite, "But I'm not going to judge them. He hasn't judged me and I'm sure he has his reasons for being with her."
There was so much he could say to that. All of it would be disrespectful after everything Lorna had done for him though.
"Where are they now?" he asked instead.
"Talking to the Professor. At least my dad is," she said, "Adults only or something."
"You're nearly an adult," Alex pointed out, grabbing his coke.
"Not enough of one apparently," she said.
Lorna put her sandwich down and sighed.
"He asked me to go and live with him."
He stopped in mid-gulp. Putting the bottle down he said;
"You're not seriously thinking about going, right?"
"I…we get along real great," she said, "But…he wants me to go with him now. Spend the summer with him and then maybe go back to school once that's over."
"Maybe?" Alex asked.
"That's what he said," Lorna replied, "He said he won't stop me if I want to come back."
"Would you?" he asked, trepidation building, "I mean, want to come back?"
"Well, yeah," said Lorna, "I want to become closer to my only family, but I've built so much here. Rahne's like a sister and I've got the X-men. I've been learning how to fight and plan. Moira even taught me morse code. I'm invested here now. Nothing could change that."
"Good," he said, "I'm glad you like it here. But you shouldn't go."
She blinked at him.
"But-"
"What about the X-men?" he asked, "The Brotherhood isn't going to take a vacation just because you want to."
"We did fine while Sean and you were away," Lorna said, frowning at his tone, "But he got back two nights ago. And you're here too. Besides, the Professor said that their activity has really toned down lately."
In irritation he decided to change his tactics.
"What about Rahne?" he said, "After everything you can't want her to be alone again."
A shadow of guilt passed over her face.
"You know she sees Moira as family," Lorna said defensively, "And I'm pretty sure the feeling's mutual. Rahne really likes it here. I'll explain that I'm coming back and I'll write while I'm gone. She'd understand."
Alex snorted.
"So you're just going to go ditch us all for daddy now?" he snapped.
A flush reached her cheeks. He felt awful, but continued to glare at her. Her green eyes met his, her lips in a thin line. Alex knew he was making her angry. Next to him his fork began to rattle.
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. The fork stopped rattling. When she opened her eyes again she as much calmer.
"I'm not going to be gone forever. And it won't change anything between us," she said, "I know it's not the best time but if I don't do this now then I'll have missed my chance."
He turned away from her and crossed her arms.
"It's not forever," she repeated, "Just a month."
Alex didn't say anything. Finally Lorna said;
"I want to be here for you right now. I…I…"
Sighing Alex turned around and put his hands on her shoulders.
"Look, Lorna, I don't want you to go," said Alex honestly, "But…I guess...this would be really great for you. And…I'll be fine. They stopped being my parents ages ago. Scott's the one I'm worried about, but I can take care of him.
His words hurt. He remembered why he didn't do this whole 'selfless' thing often.
"I don't want you to stay on my account," he lied.
Smiling she looked up at him. Her arms encircled his waist and he hugged her closely.
"Thank you," said Lorna, "I think…I think I'm going to go tell him."
"Go on," sighed Alex.
"But after that, I think there's something we should do," Lorna said.
"You asked her to come with you?" Charles asked, moving his cardinal piece.
"How could I not?" said Erik, still regarding the board, "She's my daughter."
His eyes flickered up to Erik before returning to the board.
"And don't act surprised," continued Erik, "You always knew it was a possibility when you let me see her that I'd want to take her with me."
"Yes, I did. But I thought that her past experiences as well as her current ones would triumph over anything you'd tell her," said Charles.
"Are you sure she hasn't come in contact with anything that would make her realize how futile coexistence is?" Erik said sharply, "She's been threatened by a power-hungry maniac and has watched her friends suffer abuse because of the narrow-minded nature of humans. And just like anyone she has a good head on her shoulders. She wouldn't accept coexistence for long."
Charles let the veiled insult slide.
"But she's also been surrounded by good people," Charles countered, "Does she know who you are? What it is you do?"
Erik moved a chess piece.
"Yes."
Something about his tone made him wary. In that moment he was tempted to read his mind. It disgusted him that he no longer trusted him, but too much had happened for things to be the way they had been.
"What did she say about joining you?"
His friend smirked. Charles felt his heart sink. Was he going to lose another person he'd taught and helped to violence?
"She said she'd think about it," he said.
Deep inside him he felt a momentary flicker of hope. She was doubting things that Erik was saying. That was good. His fingers hovered on a piece, feeling like he could yet win this round.
"Now, she's not sure whether or not she'll join me," said Erik, "And I don't want you manipulating her into making a decision in your favor."
Charles' fingers tightened around his piece. His gaze turned into a glare.
"You're talking to the man who lost his sister because he allowed her to make a decision he didn't agree with," Charles said coldly, "Do not lecture me about free will."
He pushed the piece forward, capturing one of Erik's.
"Forgive me," said Erik, moving his own pawn, "I really want her to come with me Charles."
"And if she chooses to do so I will not stop her," Charles said, capturing it in another move.
Placing the pawn with his captured pieces he hesitated. His next words seemed distant.
"It was good to see Raven again," he said, "But, I didn't want to ask her this and I hope you don't repeat it, is she ill?"
Erik frowned and moved another piece.
"I don't think so," he said, "She's been a little distant lately. But otherwise she's been fine. I'm glad that she and Lorna got along."
Charles had noticed it. Unfortunately he had also noticed how the two of them could have been sisters the way they talked together.
"Is she still upstairs with Moira?" asked Erik.
"Give her a few minutes Erik," Charles said, "She hasn't seen her nephew before now."
"Women and babies," Erik sighed, shaking his head.
"Can I hold him?" Mystique asked.
She saw Moira hesitate while her eyes drifted back to David's crib. Obviously she was thinking about putting him back there. She didn't blame her. The two of them had never really gotten along. During Moira's kidnapping she was somewhat less than gentle with her. If Mystique had any choice in the matter then she would never ask her for a favor. Yet, it was Charles' son that Moira held in her. All she wanted was to hold him, and she'd beg if she had to.
Fortunately it didn't come to that. Moira held David out. Mystique was in her blue form, but shifted her hands so they wouldn't scratch the baby's delicate skin. He looked up at her and she felt lost in the periwinkle eyes that he'd inherited. One of his hands reached up and gave a gentle tug on her red locks. Her yellow eyes widened.
"He's not scared of me," she said.
"Hank babysits for him sometimes," Moira said, "and he grows up in a school for mutants. It's all one to him. Like it should be."
Mystique shifted David. She wondered about the child growing in her belly. What would he be like? Would he be anything like David? Would she have to shift her skin every time she held him so as not to draw blood? The more she held David the more she wondered if she belonged around children at all.
"Is he a mutant?" she asked.
"Charles says he's developing telepathic skills," Moira explained, "He needs to be psionically contacted first though, so I wouldn't really know firsthand."
"You must be very proud," said Mystique.
"That he's a mutant and not a mere homo sapien?" Moira asked.
Her voice was sharp. Instead of snarling a comeback at her she shook her head. For some reason Mystique felt close to tears.
"No, that you have a child," she said, "That he's healthy and there's no complications."
Moira's expression softened.
"We are, yes," Moira said, "I'm sorry for misunderstanding."
Mystique shook her head. David's small fingers brushed gently across her face. What was she doing? She didn't belong with a baby in her arms. She held no illusions; she wasn't the type of woman who could be a mother. No matter how she pretended like she could do anything she couldn't raise a child. Mystique had the mothering instincts of sand.
And Azazel wasn't the type of man who could be a good father. Sure, he had his moments of kindness. She'd seen that when he held her in his arms and whispered things. She'd seen it in his offer to help her with the child. Yet, she'd seen him be brutal more than she'd seen him be kind. That wasn't a quality valued in a father. Mystique saw it now.
Say she did take Azazel up on his offer. They raise their child in shifts between taking care of Brotherhood business. A child raised by two assassins in thier spare time. How did that sound like a good idea? Sure he'd grow up strong. Yet, would he grow up right? Wouldn't he become a monster? Certainly he'd become a monster if she raised him.
Did she want that for her child?
"He's very beautiful," Mystique said, "I'm sure he'll grow up wonderfully."
"I hope so," said Moira.
If only her child could do the same. The seed of an idea began to grow in her head. She could stay with Erik if she was successful. Azazel would be cut out of the equation, but he'd get over it. After all, the child was hers. Despite Azazel's objections the child was not half his and she would decide his future.
The only downside was that it would basically cut her out as well. She found that it hurt her more than she thought it would.
"You'll make a very good mother," said Mystique.
Moira frowned.
"I am a mother and-"
Her voice dropped off.
"You're crying. Is something wrong?"
Mystique shook her head.
"No, nothing," she said, "Nothing at all."
Erik waited with a teary-eyed Mystique in the lobby of the school. He realized that David held great fascination for her, it was one of the reasons he'd brought it up to convince her to come. She seemed rather shaken up by her visit with him though. Truthfully he didn't want to ask about it. If he asked about it she'd voice her doubts and possibly leave. She meant too much to the Brotherhood and to him to allow that.
Right outside the gates to the school Azazel was waiting for them to whisk them away. Ideally they'd be leaving very soon. He wanted to be in and out before anyone could recognize him. He heard the day before that Sean had come back too. With him there all three of the original X-men were there. All of them knew what he looked like and he doubted they'd hold their fire.
At the same time he hadn't heard Lorna's answer. He thought she'd say yes. There was no reason for her not to. She didn't yet know that her father was a terrorist, although he'd lied to Charles about it. She could find that out in a few weeks when the time was ready. She still wasn't convinced that he was right about mutant dominance.
From further down the hall a door opened. He saw Lorna come down the hall, her hands clasped behind her back.
"Hey Mystique," she said.
"Hey Lorna," Mystique said.
In a rather interesting move Mystique had introduced herself by her new name. Erik wondered if this was her attempt to change her name completely.
"Dad," Lorna said.
He nodded at her. She swallowed and then smiled.
"I'm coming with you," she said, "I'll get my things together and tomorrow we can go."
Erik grinned and hugged her. It couldn't have gone more perfectly.
"But, before you leave," Lorna said, smiling and separating from him, "Raven was nice enough to come meet me, and you were nice enough to suggest it. So, I'm returning the favor."
Before he could ask what she meant another figure stepped through the hallway door. Alex came in, his face friendly but controlled. As soon as he saw Erik and Mystique the control left.
"You," he snarled.